Automobile bisection-signal



R. WILDE AND E. R. wIfIm-IIMARI.

AUTOMOBILE DIRECTION SIGNAL.

APPLlcATIoN FILED MAI/13.1918.

flzliunIcIlSupt. 2, 1919.

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RAY WILDE AN'D ERNESTR. WIMMERMARK, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMOBILE DIRECTION-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent..

rammed sept. 2, 1919.y

Application filed May 13, 1918. Serial Noll 234,321.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that we', RAY VVILDF, and ERNEST It. iVIMMunMARK, citizens of the United States, residing at Muskegon, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michigan, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Automobile`I Direction-Signals, -of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved direction 'signal for motor vehicles and has as its primary object to provide a device of this character whereby a driver may readily indicate an intention to turn either to the right or left or to stop. t

The -invention has .as a further object to rovide a device of this character which wil be electrically controlled and which may .be operated from the steering post o'f the vehicle.

A'further objectv of the invention is to -provide a signal which will also be adapted to carry the license tag ofthe vehicle and wherein the said tag may be illuminated from the signal casing.

And the invention has as a still further object to provide a signal which will be particularly simple in construction and Which may be readily mounted upon and 'used in connection with substantially any conventional type of motor vehlcle.

' scale with the front closure of the device removed and showing the mounting of the sig-` nal lights within the casing employed,

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the mounting of the switch employed,

Fig. 7 is a diagrannnatic view showing the wiring of the signal lights` as well as the wiring of the tail lights, and l Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional -viewtaken at right angles to Fig. 5 and showing the manner in ,which the door is locked 1n closed posit-lon.

In carrying outv the invention we employ an oblong casing 10. This casing is open at its front side and is provided adjacent its lower extremity with a horizontal par- -ftitionll dividing the casing into a signal compartment 12 and a tail light compartment 13, Connected to the rear wall of die casing is a socket member 14 equipped with a set screw 15,. This socket is designed to receive the adjustable post 16 .of a bracket 17 for supporting the device upon a vchicle and in Fig. 1 of the draw-ings we have shown the bracket attached to one rear fender of a conventional type ofvehicle.. As will be seen, the signal will thus be mounted in position where it may be readily observed by traflic approachingm the rear of the vehicle. The set screw 15 imay, of course, be

operated` for adjustably ositioning the `casing longitudinally of tre post 16 of the bracket while this post maybe adjustably upon the bracket for positioning the signa at the desired angle'with respect to the vehicle. The bracket 17 maybe-ofany approved type and has only for convenience been conventionally show n. -Connccted to the rear wallof the casing adjacent opposite ends thereof are ,depending hangers 18 provided at their lower cn'ds with suitable loops for receiving approved 'fastening devices connectinga license tag, as conven- ',tionallv shown 'at 19,' with the brackets.

This tag will thus be supportedh in a conspicuous place beneath the casing. Formed through the bottom wall of the 'casing at its rear margin is a longitudinally extending window opening disposed directly Kabo ve the license tag and closed by a transparent pane 2O secured within the tail light compartment 1 3 of the casing in any approved manner.

Removably fitted within the signal compartment 12 of the casing to extend transversely thereof are substantially frustopyramidal refiectors 21, 22 and 23respectively. These vreflectors may be formed of sheet metal or otherapproved material and, at their inner ends abut the rear wall f the iectors'2l and 23; yMounted in thev socket casing wlfile the outer ends of the said re- "flectors aredisposed to abut eachother and snugly fit between the partition 1-1 andthe "top vv'all of the casing. -Upstanding from the said partition to project into these reflectorsl adjacent the' innerends thereof are approved .light sockets 24, removably' con;

nectedf with the said partition. Mounted' in the socket of the. rellector 21'is an'electric llamp providing a rightlturn signal lamp.

- Mounted Within the socket of the' reector 22 is an electric lamp 26 providing a stop signal lamp, it being observed in thls connection that the reflector 22 is somewhat'- narrower at'its outer lend than are the reof the reflector 23 'is an electric lamp 27 providing a yleft turnsignal lamp. Detachably connected with the partition 11 to depend therefrom are spacedjlight sockets 28 of approved character and mounted within these sockets are'tail lamps 29 projecting into the vtail light compartment 13 of the casing jabove thepane'20 thereof. It will thus be seen that when .these lamps'are energized, the licensertag `19l beneath the casing willy be eectually illuminated. Formed on the front edgesof the casing are inwardly directedi'lan'ges 30 and hinged upon the rear Wall ofthe casing at one end thereof is a door 3 1. This door is adapted to be opened for receiving a' front closure 32 for the casl `ing slidably fitting beneath the flanges 30 thereof. At its inner side this front closureabuts, as particularly shown in Fig. 5, the

front end edge of the partition 11 as well as the front end edges ofthe reflectors 21, 22. and 23, respectively, fortightly binding the said reflectors Within the` casing and is held against displacement by the door. The door is provided at its front edge with a flange 31'7l and at its top and bottom edges with flanges 31b these anges being adapted to snugly lit within the adjacent end of the casing to provide a water tight joint be tween, the door and casing. Loosely fitted ,through the top and bottom walls of the casing 4and threaded through the flanges 31b are screws 31c locking the door closed.

As will be clear, access'to the signal lamps may be easily had 4by opening this door and by displacing the lamp sockets the -refiectors may be readily placed within or overlying the signal compartment of thel removed from the casing through `the door 55 opening. In like manner the front closure for the casing as well'as the pane 20 may be similarly removed. The front .closure is, as particularly shownv in Fig. 5, formed of a metal or opaque panel 33 overlying the front end of the tail' light compartment of the casing, 'and a transparent panel 34 Casin This transparent panel Vis preferably ormed' of glass and, at its lower margin,

is snugly received within a suitable channel Attention is now directed tothe fact that y 'since the front ends of the reiectors 21, 22, and 2.3 are arranged to abut the transparent panel 34 of the closure 32, these reiectors Will coact with the said closure panel to divide the signal compartment 12 of the casing into a right turn signal chamber formed by the reflector 21, a stop signal chamber formed by the reflector 2.2, and-ja. vleft turn signal chamber formed bythe 1e-l flector 23, so that the said chambers may be selectivelyilluminated by means of the j lamps 25, -26 and ,27, respectively. Im-f printedor otherwise imposed upon the said` panel at the front end of the right turn signal chamber is a Arepresentation of a human hand .pointing toward the right and providing a right turn signal 38. Imprinted or otherwise imposed upon the panel at the front end of the stop signal chamber are the vertically arranged letters 'of the Word stop providing a stop signal 39, .and imprinted or otherwise imposed upon the panel at the front end of the left turn signal chamber is the represent-ation of a humanv hand pointing toward the left and providing a left turn signal 40. Preferably the por# tions of the panel 34 bearing the signals 38, 39 and 40, are uncolored or White while the remaining area of the said panel is tinted red to form a background for the signals so that the said signals will be readily readable. It Will thus be seen` thatupon the energization of the right turn signal lamp 25., the' right turn signal 38 will be illuminated for giving a signal of an intention of the driver to turn tothe right. Upon the energization of thestop signal lamp 26, the stop signal 3 9 will be illuminated for giving a signal of the intentionof .the driver to stop. In like manner, upon the energization of the left turn signal lamp 27, the left turn signal 40 will be illuminated for giving a signal of an intention of the driver to turn to the left.

Controlling the dilferent signal lamps as well as the tail lamps 29 is an approved switch 41 preferably connected in suitable manner, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, to the steering post of the vehicle. .Mounted 'upon the casing of this s witch is a switch signal lamp 42 and projecting upwardly through the .switch casing is a plurality of switch keys controlling switch members 43,

i give a stop signal.` Simultaneously, the

44 and 45 respectively. Such switches'are of the double pole type and in Fig. 7 of the drawings we `have diagrammatically villustrated the said switches aswell kas the wiring therefrom to the several lamps of the casing. Referring now mpre particularly to this figure, it will be seen that a wire 47 is led i from one pole of the switch 43 to the signal lamp 27. A'w-ire 48 is led from a corresponding `terminal` of V.thefswitch 44 to the signal lamp 26, while a wire 49 is led from acorresponding terminal of the switch 45 to the signal lamp 25.- Leading from all of these lamps is a` wire-50 branching from a wire 51 leading yfrom one terminal of battery or 4other suitable source 'of electrical energy upon the vehicle and connected to the socket of the signal lamp 42, from which socket the wire is then continued and connected to opposite corresponding terminals -of the switches 43, 44, and 45, respectively.

l Leading from the other terminal of the bat tery is a wire 52 which is connected to corresponding intermediate, terminals of theV said switches. Leading from thewire) 52 is a branch wire 53 connected to one terminal of the usual tail light switch upon the infstrumentv board of thevehicle, such switch being diagrammatically shown at 46and leading from the other -terminal of this switch is a wire 54 connected with the lamps 29, which, in turn, are connected with the wire 50. Accordingly, when, the key of the switch l4% is depressed to close this switch, current 'will then io'w from the buttery through the wire 51 and Wire 50, through the lamp 27 and wire 47, and thence through the switch when the current will return to the battery through the wire 52. The lamp 27 will thus be energized for giving the left I turn signal, asv previously described.

' same timecurrent will flow through the wire 51, lamp 42 and switch 43 to return to the battery through the wire 52. The lamp 42 upon the switch casing will therefore be multaneously energized to give a signal at the switch that the switch -has been operated 1 or closed for giving the direction signal. In

a similar manner, closing of the switch 44 will cause the energization of the lamp 26 to signal lamp 42 upon the switch will be energized for giving a signal at the switch thatsuch stop signal is beingdisplayed. Also in like manner, closing of the switch 45 will cause .thefenergization of the lamp 25 At the' fr giving a right turn signal. Simultancously with the display of this signal, the, lamp 42upon the switch casing will Vbe en- Y ergized for giving/ a signal. at the switch that -the'right turn direction signal is displayed. We, therefore, provide an arrangement whereby the `different direction signals may be selectively controlled with ease f rom the drivers seat while a pilot or signal4 light will be energized at the switch coincident with the display of each signal. Since it ,will often be found necessary to display a tail light when it is not desired to' display any direction signal, the tail lamps 29 are controlled. from the switch 46 so that these tail lamps maybe energized without energizing `any of the direction signal lamps or en ergizing the signal lamp of the switch. Upon 'the closing of the switch 4G current will then flow from the battery through the wire 51 and .branch wire 50 to continue throughthe` lamps 29 and through'thc wire 54 to the switch. From the lswitch the eurrent will then return through the wires 53 and 52 tto-the battery. Thus, it will be seen that the yswitch 4G may be closed to display 'inents, a closure for said compartments 'slidably fitted withintlie casing and normally held against displacement by the door, a

plurality of independent 'reflectors fitted within the signal compartment.l rested upon .i

said partition and abutting each other as well as abutting the closure to define a plurality of separate signal chambers, lamp.

sockets upstanding from the-partition to proJect into the `reflectors and normally y holding said reflectors against movement within the casing, a lamp `carried by the respective sockets within the reflectors for i-lluminatin each of said chambers, and means within the tail light compartment for illuminating such compartment.

In testimony whereof weaffix our signatures. i

im wiLiir. l las] ERNEST ii. wiiiiiriniiaic. [1.. s.) 

